Former Lumberjack Kevin Tucker on Guard During Suns Playoff Run

May 17, 2010

By Steven Shaff, NAU Media
Relations

PHOENIX, Ariz. – If the
Phoenix Suns win the NBA Championship next month, former Lumberjack
basketball player Kevin Tucker will have to add the Larry
O’Brien Championship Trophy to his watch. The Suns open the
Western Conference Finals Monday night against the Los Angeles
Lakers.

“It is something that has not
been done since 1993,” said Tucker of advancing to the NBA
Finals. “It would be a huge accomplishment for a team that
most experts had predicted not to make the playoffs. It would be
big for our organization.”

Tucker, who played at Northern
Arizona University for two seasons from 1986-88 and graduated with
a degree in criminal justice, is in his eighth season as the
Director of Security for the NBA organization.

“My specific title and duties
have not changed much,” said Tucker Monday before practice in
Los Angeles. “With the players changing, you have to deal
with the new players coming in and gaining their trust. From there
you rely on your instincts and your education to help guide
them.”

Tucker has come a long way with the
team. Starting as a ball boy for the Phoenix Suns where his job was
to take care of the basketballs and wipe the floor, his current
role involves a much more valuable commodity - the players.

"I had the relationship with the
Suns management," said Tucker, who served as a ball boy for the
team in the late 70s and is remembered to this day by former
players like Walter Davis and Dennis Johnson. "After 11 years with
the government, I decided I wanted to combine my sports background
with my law enforcement background. It is the ideal job."

Prior to joining the Suns, Tucker
worked as an investigator with the Drug Enforcement Agency in Los
Angeles.

"It was a great experience," said
Tucker of his government position. "I learned how to liaison with
different agencies."

With his role with the Suns,
Tucker, who has handled security and investigation issues for NBA
players like Kobe Bryant, Tracy McGrady and Reggie Miller through
his association with agent Arn Tellum, is responsible for every
aspect of security regarding the Suns players. He handles
everything from pre-flight security at the airports for the team to
incidents with fans to requested private security.

Suns Director of Player Programs
Mark West, a former Suns player, says Tucker is much more than a
security guard for the players, but someone they can turn to in
several areas of expertise.

"Kevin can help educate the players
on some things that are out there," said West. "Not all that
glitters is gold. Hopefully he can point out what's fools gold. He
tries to help them handle being in the public and what that
encompasses. What they do is going to be magnified. We want to
solve problems before they become problems."

One area he won't likely pass along
advice is on the basketball court though he is qualified to do so.

"Kevin understands the mentality of
being an athlete and the notoriety that comes along with it," said
West. "And his law enforcement background speaks for itself."

Tucker played two seasons for the
Lumberjacks, finishing his career among the all-time single-season
top 10 in free throws made, free throws attempts, three-point field
goals made, three-point field goals attempted and three-point field
goal percentage and steals per game.

On December 8, 1987, he started
against Arizona at McKale Center, a future Final Four team later
that season that included current Suns general manager Steve Kerr.
Tucker finished with two points and eight assists, while Kerr had
13 points.

“I remember the game because
they were so talented,” said Tucker. “I think we lost
by only 20 points and they went to Final Four and were beating
people by 50 points. I don’t think Steve remembers me
but I remind him of it.”

In fact, NAU lost by only 18 points
77-59, the same margin the Wildcats beat North Carolina by in the
regional finals to advance to the Final Four.

Kerr and Tucker have embarked on a
couple games of H-O-R-S-E over the last few years but Tucker says
he is forced to resort to “trick shots” to get a letter
on the NBA’s career three-point percentage leader. “He
is still a pretty good shooter,” said Tucker.

Tucker did not need any trick shots
during his senior season as he led the Lumberjacks in assists,
steals, free throw percentage and minutes played during his final
campaign. He also set a single-game record with a perfect 15-for-15
game from the line against Idaho during his senior season.

"I realized I was getting fouled
but I did not realize I had taken 15 and made all of them,"
recalled Tucker.

While the perfect night from the
charity stripe is the best performance in school history, Tucker
ranks his final home game against Idaho State as his top collegiate
moment.

The Tempe native, who also attended
Marcos de Niza High School and Grand Canyon College, led the
Lumberjacks with a game-high 24 points on 8-of-11 shooting and a
7-for-7 night at the line. Trailing by two at halftime, NAU
out-scored the Bengals 55-32 over the final 20 minutes to post a
95-74 victory. With the game in hand, Tucker, who played 36 minutes
in the game, sat on the bench for the closing minutes within one
rebound and assist short of a triple-double with 9 apiece.

"If I had known I had a chance at a
triple double I think I would have checked myself back in," jokes
Tucker about his near statistical feat.